7 Household Items You Should Keep Away from Your Pets

Pets, like children, are curious by nature, sticking their nose in every nook and cranny, playing with every sharp, dangerous object they get their paws on. Pet owners should be as wary of their four-legged companions as they would be with a child, pet-proofing the house against any danger. In this article, we will be looking at 7 common household items that can endanger the life of pets.

Coins

Except for the obvious asphyxiation dangers, coins or other small metal parts can cause severe zinc poisoning. Once zinc gets into the stomach of an animal, it starts breaking down, damaging the pet’s stomach, traveling to its bloodstream, and wreaking havoc on its liver, kidneys, and heart.

Apart from coins, there are an assortment of other common household items that contain dangerous amounts of zinc. Diaper rash cream, for example, contains enough zinc to cause permanent damage to a small animal.

Xylitol

This substance is usually found in toothpaste, oral rinses, mints, gum, chewable pills, and peanut butter. Just a taste of xylitol can lower a small animal’s blood sugar to dangerous levels, while a big gulp can permanently damage their liver.

Glow Jewelry

A favorite party decoration, glow jewelry obtains its neon shine thanks to a substance called dibutyl phthalate (DBP). The oily liquid is not deadly, but it can cause drooling, vomiting, gagging, and severe eye and skin irritation.

Batteries

In case of ingestion, batteries leak acid, causing severe injuries to the internal organs of the pets. The most dangerous of all are button batteries which are small enough to be swallowed by accident.

Veterinarians advise pet owners who find themselves in this situation to rinse the mouth of their pet with tepid water and seek immediate help. Avoid inducing vomiting as it can cause even more harm.

Cleaning Products

Dryer sheets, detergents, or fabric softeners, drain cleaners, ammonia, toilet bowl cleaner, and many other products we instinctively keep away from the reach of children can cause ulcers and other such life-threatening conditions when pets ingest them.

All drugs, from cough medicine to antidepressants should be locked away safely, away from the reach of pets as a single pill could endanger their lives.

Ethylene Glycol (antifreeze)

This odorless substance tastes rather sweet, so it’s not hard to imagine that, if given the opportunity, cats and dogs would have a taste. That is why you should always store your antifreeze away from the reach of your pets.

A single teaspoon of antifreeze can be deadly for an adult cat. The fatal dose increases in dogs according to their weight.

Summing It Up

Pets are as defenseless as children when it comes to the hidden dangers of common household items. They can’t read labels, they don’t know that coins contain zinc, which is poisonous for them, and they can’t help but explore the house. It’s the owner’s job to make sure that the house is pet-proof and the animals are not within reach of any dangerous or poisonous substances.